Monday, March 2, 2009

Debate




So this weekend I went to judge a High School debate tournament. In one word the experience was goosebumps!

You always hear about the young kids doing doing drugs, inhaling glue and doing all kinds of bad stuff. But on Saturday, I was surrounded by young people brimming with bright ideas, ambitious and full of hope. They wanted to change the world and they will. They are the future politicians, lawyers and CEOs. They will map the future of the world.

That all these young kids show up on a Saturday morning to debate wearing suits and are ready to tackle arguments and solve world problems is simply amazing to me. What was I doing when I was their age? Sleeping in?

The topic was the new stimulus package. Is it good or is it bad? Now I was concerned about the topic because I obviously have my own opinions about this. So I wondered if I would be biased. But when the debate rounds started, it was clear to me. Regardless of my opinions on this, ultimately it came down to the persuasion skills and the logic. Who is a better debater? And I gave points based on how well the debate round was executed.

And boy these kiddos could argue about their point. It wasn't what they believed in. It was all about how well they presented the argument and how well they defended their arguments.

Man these people know how to think on their feet. And know how to argue. They would make really bizarre statements and then go on to logically explain what they meant by it.

Here is some random stuff I heard at the tournament.

  • My criterion is superior that his.
  • My criterion is more realistic to achieve.
  • My criterion is not of a Utopian nature.
  • Capitalism creates war.
  • Capitalism creates racism.
  • Government can't measure happiness. People can.
  • There is value in self-actualization.
  • If people don't regulate their own money, we don't need to regulate the money for them and give them more money.
  • Cannibalism is connected to capitalism.
  • Slavery is a brilliant capitalistic economic move. Free labor. But it is unjust and unfair.
  • Revolutions are vehicles for history.
  • Some CEOs have more money than God due to capitalism.
Oye.

Needless to say but when I came home I had to find something stronger than wine. Sorry wine makers world wide. Considering no one is shipping me free wine cases, I am allowed to deviate once in a while.

I no longer know what my opinion is about the bailouts. I have to absorb all the information I got and analyze it.

But bravo to all the kiddos that participated. Our future is in good hands.

12 comments:

BLOGitse said...

you know what, your writing made me think the time when i was young...
the same thing - we were the future - now that future is here, what have we done?
i feel baaaad!
is this all we could do?

Scriber's Web said...

Blogitse: Don't feel bad. We did what we could with what we had. I am just happy to see these promising young kiddos:)

mythopolis said...

Its always encouraging to hear of young people eager to try to understand and make the world better!

Janice / Dancing with Sunflowers said...

What a great story about great kids. There's no way I could have come up with those ideas and statements in high school! On the other hand, responding to BLOGitse's comment, I agree with Scriber: we did what we could with what we had. I don't know how it was in all your countries, but we didn't really have opportunities to do this sort of thing at my school / in my day. I haven't achieved all I thought I would when I was younger, but I'm starting to realise that I've achieved different things, actually things that I now like more than my original aims!
Janice.

Unknown said...

Oh, I heard about these debate things. Actually I saw a movie about it. A darn good one at that.
And yes, I'm amazed too.
When I was that age, I didn't give a dime about politics.
Oh well...
Cheers :)

Sumit said...

Pretty interesting, I say! When I was a schoolkid, all I knew about was Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck... :|

Betty said...

It's great to see young kids having real opinions and that all options have been looked and and studied. That it's not just an opinion based on what they hear and repeat. That makes me so proud.

Ballerina Girl said...

so good to hear this! I was also on a debate team...
my Mother always said I should be a lawyer! hahaha
BG

mythopolis said...

BG: Maybe your mother was right...you certainly made a case for the Steelers! : )

Scriber's Web said...

Mytho: Yes they are. We just got to find them:)

Janice: Thanks for commenting! I think that it all works out in the end.

Nicole: Me neither. These kids were awesome! I saw the movie you are talking about but forget the name. The Great Debtors? If I wasn't so tired, I'd look it up on the web:) I'll find out and let you know.

Sauron: Too funny:) Those days are gone now:)

Betty: I am very proud of all the kiddos who participated in the debate. They were all awesome!

BG: You were? How cool is that? You would have made a very nice lawyer:)

Mytho:You are so right~)

mythopolis said...

The youth vote made a big difference in this recent election. I don't feel bad about the past. But these kids are taking it up the next notch, and now, I am happy to observe it. d

mythopolis said...

Sauron: You are not part of the problem...you are part of the solution! d